Editing Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor (section)

==Early life==
[[File:Archdukerudolf.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Archduke Rudolf, aged 15, painted by [[Alonso Sánchez Coello]]]]

Rudolf was born in [[Vienna]] on 18 July 1552.<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Rudolph II. |volume=23 |page=817}}</ref> He was the eldest son and successor of [[Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian II]], Holy Roman Emperor, King of [[Kingdom of Bohemia|Bohemia]], and King of [[Kingdom of Hungary|Hungary]] and [[Kingdom of Croatia (Habsburg)|Croatia]]; his mother was the Spanish Princess [[Maria of Austria, Holy Roman Empress|Maria]], a daughter of [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]]<ref name=EB1911/> and [[Isabella of Portugal]]. He was the elder brother of [[Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor|Matthias]] who was to succeed him as King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor.
[[File:Portrait bust of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, Antwerp City Hall, Belgium - 20150629-03.jpg|thumb|A portrait bust of Rudolf II in the collection of the [[Antwerp City Hall]], Belgium]]Rudolf spent eight formative years, from age 11 to 19 (1563–1571), in Spain, at the court of his maternal uncle [[Philip II of Spain|Philip II]], together with his younger brother [[Archduke Ernest of Austria|Ernest]], future governor of the [[Low Countries]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ferri |first=Edgarda |title=Rodolfo II. Un imperatore nella Praga dell'arte, della scienza e dell'alchimia |publisher=Arnoldo Mondadori Editore |year=2007}}</ref> 

After his return to Vienna, his father was concerned about Rudolf's aloof and stiff manner, typical of the more conservative Spanish court, rather than the more relaxed and open Austrian court; but his Spanish mother saw in him courtliness and refinement.<ref name="marshall">Marshall, 2006.</ref> In the years following his return to Vienna, Rudolf was crowned [[King of Hungary]] (1572), [[King of Bohemia]] and [[King of the Romans]] (1575)<ref name="Treccani">{{Cite web|url=http://www.treccani.it//enciclopedia/rodolfo-ii-imperatore|title=Rodòlfo II Imperatore nell'Enciclopedia Treccani|website=www.treccani.it|access-date=2020-07-26|archive-date=2019-11-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107120800/http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/rodolfo-ii-imperatore/|url-status=live}}</ref> when his father was still alive.

For the rest of his life, Rudolf would remain reserved, secretive, and largely a recluse who did not like to travel or even partake in the daily affairs of the state.<ref name="marshall" /> 

He was more intrigued by occult learning such as [[astrology]] and [[alchemy]], which was mainstream in the [[Renaissance]] period, and had a wide variety of personal hobbies such as horses, clocks, collecting rarities, and being a patron of the arts. He suffered from periodic bouts of "[[Depression (mood)|melancholy]]" (depression), which was common in the Habsburg line. These became worse with age and were manifested by a withdrawal from the world and its affairs into his private interests.